Olefin polymers typically swell, or increase in thickness, during melt processing when the molten polymer exits the die. There are numerous factors that influence the amount of die swell that occurs in fabrication processes such as blow molding, and these can include extrusion pressure, polymer melt temperature, extrusion output rate, and die geometry effects such as die diameter and die land length, among others.
Notwithstanding these factors, certain polymerization conditions used during the production of the olefin polymer also can impact the amount of die swell, and the ability to reduce the amount of die swell (or increase, if needed) can be beneficial for the efficient production of blow molding articles, such as bottles and other containers. Accordingly, it is to these ends that the present disclosure is directed.